U.S. patent number 8,356,398 [Application Number 13/019,929] was granted by the patent office on 2013-01-22 for modular hybrid drill bit.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Baker Hughes Incorporated. The grantee listed for this patent is Karlos B. Cepeda, Michael Steven Damschen, Matthew R. Isbell, Tim King Marvel, Ron D. McCormick, Don Q. Nguyen, Rolf Carl Pessier, Steven M. Winnon, Anton F. Zahradnik. Invention is credited to Karlos B. Cepeda, Michael Steven Damschen, Matthew R. Isbell, Tim King Marvel, Ron D. McCormick, Don Q. Nguyen, Rolf Carl Pessier, Steven M. Winnon, Anton F. Zahradnik.
United States Patent |
8,356,398 |
McCormick , et al. |
January 22, 2013 |
Modular hybrid drill bit
Abstract
An earth-boring bit comprising a bit body is configured at its
upper end for connection into a drillstring. A fixed blade depends
axially downwardly from the bit body. An axially extending slot is
formed in the bit body adjacent the fixed blade. A bit leg is
received and retained in the slot by engagement between the slot
and correspondingly shaped bit leg, wherein the bit leg cannot be
removed from the slot except by axial movement relative to the bit
body. A rolling cutter is secured to the bit leg at its lower
extent. A fastener secures the bit leg against movement relative to
the bit body and extends through oblong apertures in the bit leg
and into the bit body, the bit leg can be moved axially relative to
the bit body to adjust the projection of the rolling cutter
relative to the fixed blade.
Inventors: |
McCormick; Ron D. (Magnolia,
TX), Pessier; Rolf Carl (Galveston, TX), Nguyen; Don
Q. (Houston, TX), Marvel; Tim King (The Woodlands,
TX), Isbell; Matthew R. (Houston, TX), Zahradnik; Anton
F. (Sugar Land, TX), Cepeda; Karlos B. (Houston, TX),
Damschen; Michael Steven (Houston, TX), Winnon; Steven
M. (Conroe, TX) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
McCormick; Ron D.
Pessier; Rolf Carl
Nguyen; Don Q.
Marvel; Tim King
Isbell; Matthew R.
Zahradnik; Anton F.
Cepeda; Karlos B.
Damschen; Michael Steven
Winnon; Steven M. |
Magnolia
Galveston
Houston
The Woodlands
Houston
Sugar Land
Houston
Houston
Conroe |
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX |
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Baker Hughes Incorporated
(Houston, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
41255854 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/019,929 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20110120269 A1 |
May 26, 2011 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
12114537 |
May 2, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/525.02;
175/366; 175/336; 29/525.11; 29/525.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
10/62 (20130101); E21B 10/14 (20130101); E21B
10/24 (20130101); Y10T 29/49963 (20150115); Y10T
29/49948 (20150115); Y10T 29/49947 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B23P
11/00 (20060101); E21B 10/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;175/336,364,366
;29/525.01,525.02,525.11,525.13,525.14 |
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|
Primary Examiner: Omgba; Essama
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sutton McAughan Deaver PLLC
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional application of, and claims
priority benefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 12/114,537, filed
May 2, 2008 and entitled "MODULAR HYBRID DRILL BIT", now abandoned,
which is incorporated herein by specific reference.
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of assembling a hybrid drill bit, the method including
the steps of: providing a bit body having at least one fixed blade
having a plurality of fixed cutting elements mounted thereon, and
at least one slot, the blade and slot extending in the axial
direction; assembling a bit leg within the slot using one or more
bolts, with each bolt passing through each of one or more oblong
holes through the leg, the leg having a rolling cutter rotatably
mounted thereon, the collar rolling cutter having a plurality of
rolling cutter cutting elements mounted thereon; adjusting the
projection of the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade; and
thereafter tightening the bolt.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step
of assembling the bit leg within the slot using two bolts, with
each bolt through each of two axially oblong holes through the
leg.
3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of
adjusting the projection of the rolling cutter relative to the
fixed blade comprises sliding the leg in the axial direction
relative to the two bolts.
4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of
thereafter tightening the bolt includes tightening the bolt to fix
the projection of the rolling cutter relative to the fixed
blade.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed after the
step of thereafter tightening the bolt.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed during
manufacturing.
7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed before
being employed.
8. A method of assembling a hybrid drill bit, the method including
the steps of: providing a bit body having a plurality of fixed
blades, each blade having a plurality of fixed cutting elements
mounted thereon, and plurality of slots, each slot including a
plurality of circular threaded holes extending radially into the
body, the blade and slot extending in the axial direction;
assembling a bit leg within each slot using a plurality of bolts
through axially oblong holes in the leg and the circular threaded
holes in the body, the leg having a rolling cutter rotatably
mounted thereon, the rolling cutter having a plurality of rolling
cutter cutting elements mounted thereon; adjusting the projection
of the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade; and thereafter
tightening the bolts.
9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step of
adjusting the projection of the rolling cutter relative to the
fixed blade comprises sliding the leg in the axial direction
relative to the bolts.
10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step of
thereafter tightening the bolt includes tightening the bolt to fix
the projection of the rolling cutter relative to the fixed
blade.
11. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed after the
step of thereafter tightening the bolt.
12. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed during
manufacturing.
13. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the projection of
the rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade is fixed before
being employed.
14. A method of assembling a hybrid drill bit, the method including
the steps of: providing a bit body having at least one fixed blade
having a plurality of fixed cutting elements mounted thereon, and
at least two slots, the blade and slots extending in the axial
direction; assembling a first bit leg within a first one of the
slots using at least a first bolt, the first leg having a first
rolling cutter rotatably mounted thereon, the first rolling cutter
having a plurality of rolling cutter cutting elements mounted
thereon; assembling a second bit leg within a second one of the
slots using at least a second bolt, the second leg having a second
roller cutter rotatably mounted thereon, the second roller cutter
having a plurality of rolling cutter cutting elements mounted
thereon; adjusting a projection of each rolling cutter relative to
the fixed blade; and thereafter tightening the bolt, wherein
tightening the bolt fixes the projection of each rolling cutter
relative to the fixed blade, with the projection of the first
rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade being independent of the
projection of the second rolling cutter relative to the fixed
blade.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to earth-boring drill bits
and, in particular, to a bit having a combination of rolling and
fixed cutters and cutting elements and a method of drilling with
same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The success of rotary drilling enabled the discovery of deep oil
and gas reservoirs and production of enormous quantities of oil.
The rotary rock bit was an important invention that made the
success of rotary drilling possible. Only soft earthen formations
could be penetrated commercially with the earlier drag bit and
cable tool, but the two-cone rock bit, invented by Howard R.
Hughes, U.S. Pat. No. 930,759, drilled the caprock at the
Spindletop field, near Beaumont, Tex. with relative ease. That
venerable invention, within the first decade of the last century,
could drill a scant fraction of the depth and speed of the modern
rotary rock bit. The original Hughes bit drilled for hours, the
modern bit drills for days. Modern bits sometimes drill for
thousands of feet instead of merely a few feet. Many advances have
contributed to the impressive improvements in rotary rock bits.
In drilling boreholes in earthen formations using rolling-cone or
rolling-cutter bits, rock bits having one, two, or three rolling
cutters rotatably mounted thereon are employed. The bit is secured
to the lower end of a drillstring that is rotated from the surface
or by a downhole motor or turbine. The cutters mounted on the bit
roll and slide upon the bottom of the borehole as the drillstring
is rotated, thereby engaging and disintegrating the formation
material to be removed. The rolling cutters are provided with
cutting elements or teeth that are forced to penetrate and gouge
the bottom of the borehole by weight from the drillstring. The
cuttings from the bottom and sides of the borehole are washed away
by drilling fluid that is pumped down from the surface through the
hollow, rotating drillstring, and are carried in suspension in the
drilling fluid to the surface.
Rolling-cutter bits dominated petroleum drilling for the greater
part of the 20.sup.th century. With improvements in synthetic or
manmade diamond technology that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s,
the fixed-cutter, or "drag" bit, became popular again in the latter
part of the 20.sup.th century. Modern fixed-cutter bits are often
referred to as "diamond" or "PDC" (polycrystalline diamond compact)
bits and are far removed from the original fixed-cutter bits of the
19.sup.th and early 20.sup.th centuries. Diamond or PDC bits carry
cutting elements comprising polycrystalline diamond compact layers
or "tables" formed on and bonded to a supporting substrate,
conventionally of cemented tungsten carbide, the cutting elements
being arranged in selected locations on blades or other structures
on the bit body with the diamond tables facing generally in the
direction of bit rotation. Diamond bits have an advantage over
rolling-cutter bits in that they generally have no moving parts.
The drilling mechanics and dynamics of diamond bits are different
from those of rolling-cutter bits precisely because they have no
moving parts. During drilling operation, diamond bits are used in a
manner similar to that for rolling cutter bits, the diamond bits
also being rotated against a formation being drilled under applied
weight on bit to remove formation material. Engagement between the
diamond cutting elements and the borehole bottom and sides shears
or scrapes material from the formation, instead of using a crushing
action as is employed by rolling-cutter bits. Rolling-cutter and
diamond bits each have particular applications for which they are
more suitable than the other; neither type of bit is likely to
completely supplant the other in the foreseeable future.
In the prior art, some earth-boring bits use a combination of one
or more rolling cutters and one or more fixed blades. Some of these
combination-type drill bits are referred to as hybrid bits.
Previous designs of hybrid bits, such as is described in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,343,371 to Baker, III, have provided for the rolling cutters
to do most of the formation cutting, especially in the center of
the hole or bit. Other types of combination bits are known as "core
bits," such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,788 to Garner. Core bits
typically have truncated rolling cutters that do not extend to the
center of the bit and are designed to remove a core sample of
formation by drilling down, but around, a solid cylinder of the
formation to be removed from the borehole generally intact.
Rolling-cutter bits tend to fail when the bearing or seal fails and
one or more cutters stop rotating or rotating easily. Bearing
failure is most often caused by loss of lubricant from the bit or
damage to the bearing as a result of severe operating conditions.
In some cases, the bearing failure is so catastrophic that a cutter
falls off of the bearing, which can lead to costly and
time-consuming fishing operations to recover the lost cutter.
Typically, rolling-cutter bits cannot successfully be refurbished
because of irreparable bearing damage. Diamond bits rarely have
such a catastrophic failure. Instead, individual diamond cutters
tend to be lost and the bit body is slowly worn away such that it
is no longer within drilling specifications. Diamond bits can be
refurbished by replacing lost cutters until the bit body is too
worn.
Another type of hybrid bit is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,019
to Shamburger, Jr., wherein the rolling cutters extend almost
entirely to the center. Fixed cutter inserts 50 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are
located in the dome area 2 or "crotch" of the bit to complete the
removal of the drilled formation. Still another type of hybrid bit
is sometimes referred to as a "hole opener," an example of which is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,066. A hole opener has a fixed
threaded protuberance that extends axially beyond the rolling
cutters for the attachment of a pilot bit that can be a rolling
cutter or fixed cutter bit. In these latter two cases the center is
cut with fixed cutter elements but the fixed cutter elements do not
form a continuous, uninterrupted cutting profile from the center to
the perimeter of the bit.
Although each of these bits is workable for certain limited
applications, an improved hybrid earth-boring bit with enhanced
drilling performance would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an
improved earth-boring bit of the hybrid variety. This and other
objects are achieved by providing an earth-boring bit comprising a
bit body configured at its upper end for connection into a
drillstring. At least one fixed blade depends axially downwardly
from the bit body. An axially extending slot is formed in the bit
body adjacent the fixed blade. A bit leg is received and retained
in the slot by engagement between the slot and correspondingly
shaped bit leg. At least one rolling cutter is secured to the bit
leg at its lower extent.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention, at least
one fastener secures the bit leg against movement relative to the
bit body and the fastener extends through oblong apertures in the
bit leg and into the bit body, wherein the bit leg can be moved
axially relative to the bit body to adjust the projection of the
rolling cutter relative to the fixed blade.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the slot
is formed by at least three sides, and at least one acute angle is
formed by two adjacent sides. The slot defines a pair of generally
opposed sides connected by a third side, the generally opposed
sides being inclined toward one another to define a dovetail that
corresponds with the shape of the bit leg.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the bit
body further comprises a shank that is configured for connection
into the drillstring at its upper extent and has a generally
cylindrical receptacle formed in its lower extent; and a bit body
portion having a generally cylindrical upper extent, the receptacle
being and dimensioned to receive the upper extent of the bit body,
wherein the shank and bit body portions are secured together by
welding.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the
earth-boring bit further comprises a nozzle removably secured in
the bit body, the nozzle receptacle configured to receive a nozzle;
a bearing formed integrally with the bit leg, the rolling cutter
mounted for rotation on the bearing; and a lubricant compensator
removably secured in the bit leg, the lubricant compensator in
fluid communication with the bearing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
So that the manner in which the features and advantages of the
present invention, which will become apparent, are attained and can
be understood in more detail, more particular description of
embodiments of the invention as briefly summarized above may be had
by reference to the embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the
appended drawings which form a part of this specification. It is to
be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only some
embodiments of the invention and therefore are not to be considered
limiting of its scope as the invention may admit to other equally
effective embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the hybrid
earth-boring bit constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the hybrid
earth-boring bit of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the hybrid
earth-boring bit of FIG. 2 constructed in accordance with the
present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the earth-boring bit of
FIG. 3, illustrating the configuration of the axial slot in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-2, an illustrative embodiment of a modular
hybrid earth-boring drill bit is disclosed. The bit 11 comprises a
bit body 13 having an axis 15 that defines an axial center of the
bit body 13. A plurality (e.g., two shown) of bit legs or heads 17
extend from the bit body 13 in the axial direction. The bit body 13
also has a plurality (e.g., also two shown) of fixed blades 19 that
extend in the axial direction. The number of each of legs 17 and
fixed blades 19 is at least one but may be more than two (as in the
case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3). In one embodiment,
the centers of the legs 17 and fixed blades 19 are symmetrically
spaced apart from each other about the axis 15 in an alternating
configuration.
Rolling cutters 21 are mounted to respective ones of the bit legs
17. Each of the rolling cutters 21 is shaped and located such that
every surface of the rolling cutters 21 is radially spaced apart
from the axial center 15 (FIG. 2) by a minimal radial distance 23.
A plurality of rolling-cutter cutting inserts or elements 25 are
mounted to the rolling cutters 21 and radially spaced apart from
the axial center 15 by a minimal radial distance 27. The minimal
radial distances 23, 27 may vary according to the application, and
may vary from cutter to cutter, and/or cutting element to cutting
element.
In addition, a plurality of fixed cutting elements 31 are mounted
to the fixed blades 19. At least one of the fixed cutting elements
31 is located at the axial center 15 of the bit body 13 and adapted
to cut a formation at the axial center. In one embodiment, the at
least one of the fixed cutting elements 31 is within approximately
0.040 inches of the axial center. Examples of rolling-cutter
cutting elements 25 and fixed cutting elements 31 include tungsten
carbide inserts, cutters made of super-hard material such as
polycrystalline diamond, and others known to those skilled in the
art.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the modular aspect of the bit constructed
according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of
the various parts of the bit 111 disassembled. The illustrative
embodiment of FIG. 3 is a three-cutter, three-blade bit. The
modular construction principles of the present invention are
equally applicable to the two-cutter, two-blade bit 11 of FIGS. 1
and 2, and hybrid bits with any combination of fixed blades and
rolling cutters.
As illustrated, bit 111 comprises a shank portion or section 113,
which is threaded or otherwise configured at its upper extent for
connection into a drillstring. At the lower extent of shank portion
113, a generally cylindrical receptacle 115 is formed. Receptacle
115 receives a correspondingly shaped and dimensioned cylindrical
portion 117 at the upper extent of a bit body portion 119. Shank
113 and body 119 portions are joined together by inserting the
cylindrical portion 117 at the upper extent of body portion 119
into the cylindrical receptacle 115 in the lower extent of shank
113. For the 121/4 inch bit shown, the receptacle is a Class 2
female thread that engages with a mating male thread at the upper
extent of the body. The circular seam or joint is then continuously
bead welded to secure the two portions or sections together.
Receptacle 115 and upper extent 117 need not be cylindrical, but
could be other shapes that mate together, or could be a sliding or
running fit relying on the weld for strength. Alternatively, the
joint could be strengthened by a close interference fit between
upper extent 119 and receptacle 115. Tack welding around the seam
could also be used.
A bit leg or head 121 (three are shown for the three-cutter
embodiment of FIG. 3) is received in an axially extending slot 123
(again, there is a slot 123 for each leg or head 121). As shown in
greater detail in FIG. 4, slot 123 is dovetailed (and leg 121
correspondingly shaped) so that only axial sliding of leg 121 is
permitted and leg 121 resists radial removal from slot 123. A
plurality (four) of bolts 127 and washers secure each leg 121 in
slot 123 so that leg 121 is secured against axial motion in and
removal from slot 123. A rolling cutter 125 is secured on a bearing
associated with each leg 121 by a ball lock and seal assembly 129.
The apertures in leg 121 through which bolts 127 extend are oblong,
which permits the axial positioning of leg 121 within slot 123,
which in turn permits selection of the relative projection of the
cutting elements on each rolling cutter. A lubricant compensator
assembly 131 is also carried in each leg 121 and supplies lubricant
to the bearing assembly and compensates for pressure variations in
the lubricant during drilling operations. A preferred compensator
is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,942 to Galle
and Zahradnik. At least one nozzle 133 is received and retained in
the bit body portion 119 to direct a stream of drilling fluid from
the interior of bit 111 to selected locations proximate the cutters
and blades of the bit.
FIG. 4 is a sectional section view of bit body 119 illustrating the
configuration of slot 123. As previously noted, slot 123 has a pair
of adjacent opposing sides 135 that are inclined toward one another
at an acute included angle (from vertical) to define a dovetail. A
third side, which may be curved or flat, connects the two opposing
sides 135. A rectilinear 137 recess is formed within the third side
for additional engagement between the bit leg and bit body. As
stated, bit leg 121 is provided with a corresponding shape so that
once assembled together, bit leg 121 resists removal from slot 123
except by axial force. Preferably, for the 121/4 inch bit
illustrated, slot 123 is approximately 3.880 inches wide at its
widest point, opposing sides 135 are inclined at an angle of
approximately 15 degrees and converge to define an included angle
of approximately 30 degrees. Recess 137 is approximately 1.880
inches wide and approximately 0.385 inches deep. The corresponding
surfaces of bit leg 121 are similarly dimensioned, but between
0.005 and 0.010 inch smaller to provide a sliding or running fit
within the slot. A close interference fit could also be used to
enhance strength, at the cost of ease of assembly. A blind threaded
hole or aperture 139 is formed in bit body 119 to receive each of
the fasteners or bolts 127 (FIG. 3). Alternatively, the opposed
sides 135 of slot 123 could be "straight," but such a construction
will not be as strong as the "dovetailed" construction and may
unduly strain bolts 127.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention, the threaded shank
is separable from the bit body and each bit leg and associated
rolling cutter is also separable from the bit body (along with the
associated lubricant compensator, bearing and seal assembly). Thus,
as the bit wears, various parts may be replaced as appropriate. If
the bearing associated with a cutter loses lubricant and fails, the
entire bit leg assembly can be replaced as needed. If the bit body
wears to the degree that it will no longer support fixed cutters
(or other parts of the bit assembly), it can be replaced. If the
shank is damaged, it can be replaced. Although the welded joint is
not typically considered a replaceable joint, in this instance, the
weld can be removed, a new shank or body portion fitted, and there
will be ample material remaining to permit re-welding of the two
together.
While the invention has been shown or described in only some of its
forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is
not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes without
departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed,
and legal equivalents thereof.
* * * * *
References